# OzU VR Lab

> Istanbul Ozyegin University Virtual Reality Lab


## Posts

- [We Discussed the Future of AI in Türkiye at OzU AI Week 2025](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1642): OzU AI Week 2025 brought together academia, industry, and students for an inspiring week of discussions, panels, and workshops exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. Hosted at Özyeğin University, the event served as a dynamic platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and envisioning the role of AI in shaping the future. As the first in a year-long series of AI-focused events, OzU AI Week 2025 featured leading experts from diverse fields who offered valuable perspectives on how artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, ethics, and technology. We extend our sincere thanks to all speakers and participants who contributed to this […]
- [Crafting the Future in VR: Bora Sezer at Robert College Summer Academy](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1629): This summer, Bora Sezer had the privilege of leading the workshop Crafting the Future: Mastering Design-Oriented Virtual Reality at the Istanbul American Robert College 2025 Summer Academy (RCS Academy). During the week-long workshop, participants immersed themselves in the world of design-oriented VR, learning the fundamentals of XR technology and envisioning its future potential. Students received hands-on training in modeling 3D environments directly within VR, gaining skills essential for game level design, industrial product visualization. Working collaboratively within the same virtual environment, the students designed and built a vibrant virtual world made up of three interconnected islands; an impressive achievement completed […]
- [Expert Talk by Bora Sezer at Odunpazarı Modern Museum: The Transformation of Art, Culture, and Museum Experiences through VR](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1603): Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM) in Eskişehir hosted academic and designer Bora Sezer in a special event supported by İş Yatırım. The event focused on virtual reality, art, culture, and new-generation museology – fields in which Sezer is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work. In his presentation, Sezer also introduced the Faculty of Architecture and Design at Özyeğin University, highlighting the Communication Design Department and the pioneering work of the OZÜ VR Lab.. These units form the backbone of interdisciplinary projects exploring how digital technologies can transform cultural heritage and creative experiences. Throughout his talk, Sezer discussed the transformative potential of […]
- [XR HACKathon mentorship](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1580): Bora Sezer was a mentor at the XR HACKathon, organized by BUG Lab TEKMER with Meta as the primary sponsor and Istanbul Bilgi University as one of the partners! The event took place from September 6-8 at the BAU Galata Campus, bringing together developers and designers focused on XR and AI technologies. Participants had the chance to create innovative prototypes using Meta Quest 3 and Meta’s Presence Platform SDKs. I was eager to share my knowledge on XR and AI. A big thank you to all the wonderful partners for making the event possible! #XRHackathon #Mentorship #Unity #UnrealEngine #AI #MetaQuest3
- [New Chapter Publication Announcement: “A Simultaneous Multiuser Collaborative Immersive Design Environment: Extended Reality and Digital Photogrammetry for the Valorisation of Heritage Sites” Published by Springer](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1560): We are delighted to announce (Alessandro Camiz, Özge Özkuvancı, Kartal Turhan, and Bora Sezer) the publication of our book chapter titled “A Simultaneous Multiuser Collaborative Immersive Design Environment: Extended Reality and Digital Photogrammetry for the Valorisation of Heritage Sites.” Springer will publish this chapter on October 1, 2024, as part of the prestigious “Digital Innovations in Architecture, Engineering and Construction” series. This chapter explores the innovative integration of Extended Reality (XR) and digital photogrammetry to create a collaborative immersive design environment. Our research emphasizes the potential of these technologies to enhance the valorization of heritage sites by providing a platform […]
- [Bora Sezer and Ayşegül Karaman Spotlight Cutting-edge VR and Cultural Heritage Initiatives at XR Turkey's LinkedIn Conference](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1550): On April 5th, XR Turkey hosted a virtual reality and cultural heritage conference where Bora Sezer and Ayşegül Karaman shared insights into their respective projects. Sezer presented his latest works, while Karaman highlighted her company’s endeavors. Aylin Taslak did an excellent job modarating the the disccussions. The discussions primarily focused on advancements in cultural heritage VR applications and strategies for enhancing museum experiences, particularly within historical locations and museums. You can watch the recorded youtube live video below:  
- [Virtual Realities Explored: A Discussion with Bora Sezer and Gökçe Elif Baykal on 'İşin Özü'](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1520): In a recent episode of the “İşin Özü” program, Bora Sezer and Gökçe Elif Baykal engaged in a compelling discussion delving into the past, present, and future of Virtual Reality (VR). As technology continues to shape our world, VR stands out as a transformative force, offering immersive experiences and redefining the way we interact with digital content.
- [Discussing the Future of AI in Design: Insights from Özyeğin University's Transformative Education Panel](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1514): Bora Sezer shared insights into how Artificial Intelligence is perceived by designers and its future implications during the Transformative Education Panel with Generative AI held at Özyeğin University. The panel, organized by the OLTE unit under the theme of “Transformative education with generative AI,” featured valuable contributions from faculty members across different departments. Moderator: Assistant Professor Göktürk POYRAZOĞLU Participants: Instructor Volkan Davut MENGİ Assistant Professor Yavuz Selim HİNDİSTAN Instructor Can Bora SEZER Associate Professor Başak OZAN ÖZPARLAK Associate Professor Özlem İNANÇ ŞENSES
- [Research: A Virtual Simulation of the Moonlight Epiphany in the Artemis Temple at Magnesia on the Meander: Proof of theory](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1535): The study, conducted by the Ozu VR Lab at Özyeğin University and led by Bora Sezer, aimed to investigate the Moonlight Epiphany phenomenon at the Artemis Temple in Magnesia on the Meander. This phenomenon, where the full moon’s light illuminates the statue of Artemis through the temple’s skylight, has been a subject of fascination for researchers. Using immersive virtual reality (VR) technology, the researchers recreated the temple’s original lighting conditions and confirmed that the Moonlight Epiphany did occur as theorized. The methodology involved advanced 3D modeling software to reconstruct the temple and make necessary modifications to ensure the accuracy of […]
- [Exploring the Intersection of Art and Technology: OzU VR Lab's Presentation at Istanbul Modern Museum](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1508): Özyeğin University VR Lab conducted an important presentation within the scope of the Istanbul Modern Museum’s “Young Productions in Digital Art” event. The presentation focused on design-oriented Virtual Reality and provided detailed information about the laboratory’s work to the participants. Under the leadership of Bora Sezer, the team informed about the laboratory’s main research areas, conducted activities, offered courses, and published articles. Additionally, they addressed important questions such as how design-oriented virtual reality education should be and discussed projects supported by the European Union. This presentation aimed to highlight the importance of work done in the field of virtual reality […]
- [U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2022 has been awarded to our project titled "Documentation and Preservation of Panagia Paramythia Church."](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1524):   We’re thrilled to announce that the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2022 has been awarded to our project titled “Documentation and Preservation of Panagia Paramythia Church.” This prestigious grant will enable us to undertake the vital task of restoring the Greek Orthodox Church of Panagia Paramythia, located in the historic Fener neighborhood of Istanbul. At the heart of our project is the mission to revitalize this significant cultural landmark and breathe new life into it for the benefit of the local community. Through meticulous documentation and preservation efforts, we aim to ensure that the rich history and […]
- [A Case Study: the usage of Virtual Reality for the virtual restoration of archaeological pottery sherds.](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1538): Th OZU VR Lab  examined VR modeling softwares, Gravity Sketch and ShapesXR, for a comparative case study on virtual restoration of archaeological pottery sherds. It outlined the methodology for the case study, including the selection of artifacts, software, and hardware, as well as defined parameters for evaluation. It described the process of scanning and preparing pottery fragments into 3D models, uploading them to VR platforms, and archiving the work for future access. The conclusion emphasized the potential of VR for archaeological research, suggesting its application in virtual restoration of various artifacts beyond pottery sherds. It also discussed the creation of […]
- [Bora Sezer’s “Deepfakes as a Socially Constructed Technology” article was published as a chapter in the Extended Reality and Media book by Nobel Publications](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1498): Bora Sezer’s “Deepfakes as a Socially Constructed Technology” article was published as a chapter in the Extended Reality and Media book by Nobel Publications URL: https://www.nobelyayin.com/genisletilmis-gerceklik-ve-medya-xr-teknolojileri-18824.html Abstract: The science and technology studies (STS) field has generated many perspectives for analyzing the social shaping of technology. Among these structural theories is most notably Trevor Pinch and Wiebe Bijker’s work known as the social construction of technology (SCOT). This framework’s approach has helped to create diverse and rich academic research in its field. Although SCOT has enormous contributions regarding the comprehension of technological developments, it can be premised that most of the […]
- [We participated in the Immersive Design meeting in Ferrara, Italy for the ID4Ex Erasmus Plus project](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1383): OzU VR Lab participated in the Immersive Design meeting in Ferrara, Italy for the Erasmus Plus peoject ID4Ex. “ID4Ex – Immersive Design and new Digital Competencies for the Rehabilitation and Valorization of the Built Heritage” is focused on the formation of training modules with immersive design tools. The meeting took place at the University of Ferrara’s Architecture faculty between the 6th and 8th of June.
- [Another COD325 VR and Immersive Design course is finalized with impressive results](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1397): Ozyegin University’s Communication Design Department gives an elective course called Virtual Reality and Immersive Design (COD 325). The course’s educational objective is to introduce students to theoretical and practical skills of Design in Virtual Reality. The program is offered to Communication Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, and Computer Science Students. The 4th COD325 course was given this semester. It was nice to have Ali Leylekoğu, a communication Design Graduate, who voluntarily gave assistance. The students were divided into two interdisciplinary groups to create a VR Game of their own. . A video trailer of the race for time group
- [Workshop: Building Meta Worlds via Gravity Sketch with Bora Sezer at BaseSelect Metaverse days](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1372): On the 27th of May, we met at the Cercle d’Orient Gallery in Beyoğlu to proceed with a Virtual Reality Workshop. We gathered in groups of 4 with Meta Headsets ( Thanks to the sponsor Meta aka Facebook) and met all in the same digital space in real-time using Gravity Sketch’s Landing Pad platform. Participants had the chance to learn this 3D Design platform, Express their ideas and communicate them with each other.  Using VR Headsets to build 3D environments for the Metaverse excited collaborators and opened their horizons. Thanks to Base Istanbul for this wonderful opportunity. Other events and presentations took […]
- [Bora Sezer gave a speech about VR via VR – Creating Game designs with VR glasses for the "Digital Art at the Campus exhibition" organized by Base and 42 Istanbul, sponsored by Akbank Sanat.](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1343): Narrative: The need to create virtual environments requires entirely new ways of thinking about design. How equipped are we to tackle this new design space? As the Metaverse journey slowly begins to emerge, Sezer presented on how he creates Immersive Worlds for Games via VR glasses and underlined the advantages of this approach. The presentations took place at both the Ozyegin Architecture and Design Faculty (13th of Apr) and Vadi Istanbul 42 Istanbul (20th of Apr) For more information and visuals you can check the Instagram link below: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcSv-VQKrNt/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- [OzU VR Lab Researcher Ali Leylekoğlu’s team VTheatron wins first place at the Metaverse Hackathon organized by GameFed](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1214): Communication Design Post Graduate Ali Leylekoğlu’s team V-Theatron has won first place at the Metaverse Hackaton orginized by Gamefed.  The Champions took home an Oculus Quest Headset as reward. Leylekoğlu is a Communication Design Graduate interested in developing XR applications and research. He is voluntarily participating within the OZU VR Lab as a Researcher. Another member of the V-Theatron team is Yiğitcan Tumri, also a Communication Design graduate currently active at the Ozu Media Lab. We congratulate them both and wish further success.  GamFed International Gamification Confederation is a non-profit organization that aims to increase gamification knowledge and awareness around the world, […]
- [The Design Interactions & OZU VR Labs presented their latest groundwork at the Euromersive Turkey Research Showcase in the Metaverse](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1221): The Design Interactions Lab and OzU VR Lab presented their recent research “Exploring the Spatial Thinking Process in Physical and Virtual Realities through Child-Object Interaction: A Case of Hand Tracking in VR” at the Euromersive Turkey Research Showcase. Interacting with objects is an integral part of developing spatial thinking skills in children. These sort of Interactions in virtual reality contexts is yet to be explored. The research investigates how do children’s interaction with objects change in physical and virtual environments? In this light the team is comparing physical environments with the usage of VR Controllers and Hand-tracking. Researchers: Gökçe Elif […]
- [Bora Sezer spoke at the Vietnam Tech Conference 2022 about The Past, Present, & Future of Virtual Reality](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1179): Bora Sezer spoke at the Vietnam Tech Conference 2022 about “The Past, Present, & Future of Virtual Reality” The Vietnam Tech Conference is organized by Saigon South International School in HCMC and the United Nations International School in Hanoi. It is an annual technology conference open to all educators. For the benefit of student learning, this conference is designed for teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators to network, share effective practices and move technology forward. Vietnam Tech Conference is about: Providing a venue for educators to inquire and explore how they can effectively integrate technology within the classroom Create a community of educators pushing the boundaries of […]
- [OzU VR Lab organized a small scale Virtual Hackathon together with Euromersive Turkey" on Hand Tracking Basics with Oculus Quest 2"](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1133)
- [OzU VR Lab is collaborating within an Erasmus Plus project focusing on Immersive Design education](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1138): OzU VR Lab is collaborating in an Erasmus plus project together with the Drum Lab ( Dynamic Research on Urban Morphology Lab). The project is called; Immersive Design and New Digital Competencies for the Rehabilitation and Valorization of the Built Heritage. The project aims to support the updating of skills and competencies through an inclusive approach to the built heritage intervention with the use of new technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Immersive Interactive Experience (IIE), and advanced 3D modeling. The main focus of the program is forming new Training toolkits for Immersive Design Experts and other stakeholders working in […]
- [Sezer gave a presentation at the VRDays Immersive Tech Week, about "XR in Cultural Heritage and Architecture"](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1060): VRdays Istanbul that took place in Kolektif House Maslak, is the first private XR startup event in Istanbul and consists of a four-day process that focuses on a specific sector every day. VRDays Istanbul especially hosted innovative AR/VR products of local startups, industry-leading technology experts, and various interviews with futurists. The panels were held jointly in Turkish and English, emphasized the impact and importance of XR/AR/VR technologies in various sectors. Bora Sezer, joined the Cultural Heritage, Art & Architecture day and present his current research about Cultural Heritage and XR.  Additionally, he also presented at the Universities VR Labs Panel together with […]
- [OzU VR Lab joined the 5th ArtTech forum's "XR Opportunities in Turkey's Cultural Sectors" panel](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1024): The ArtTech Foundation was created in the spring of 2017 with the aim of establishing a platform for exchange, meetings, and think tanks to help bring together two usually distant worlds. Aiming to develop its activities on a national and international level, the Foundation hopes to help preserve and enhance cultural heritage by stimulating reflection on the contributions of new technologies and supporting pioneering, disruptive, and innovative projects at the crossroads of culture, art, technology, and science. It also hopes to create a favorable environment for the emergence of high-potential start-ups in the field. The Forum took place at the […]
- [Sezer & Sarantopoulos gave a presentation  at the Venice VR Expanded Istanbul 2021 satellite program](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1016): Bora Sezer and Elias Sarantopoulos gave a presentation about Photogrammetry for Immersive Museum Experiences and showcased two of their Virtual Reality Projects, the Chora Museum and the Panagia Church of Balad at the Venice VR Expanded program. OzU COD and OzU VR Lab were happy to be one of the sponsors of the Program. La Biennale di Venezia’s “Venice VR Expanded” satellite program, which brought the virtual reality (VR) section of the annual film festival, was held between September 1-19, 2021 in Salon IKSV, Istanbul. As part of the 78th Venice International Film Festival, Venice VR Expanded 2021 saw a selection of […]
- [OzU VR Lab was at the Istanbul Art & Antiques Fair](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=1103): Istanbul Art and Antique Fair, which has brought our country to an important point in the field of culture and art while representing it on the international platform, was the meeting point of art lovers at the Istanbul Congress Center between 03-07 November. Istanbul Art and Antique Fair, which was visited by 28,500 people during the fair, hosted more than 300 artists and 2 thousand artworks from 80 antique shops, 42 art galleries in an area of 15 thousand m2. Istanbul Art and Antique Fair, organized by Demos Exhibition, which brings together the world of art and antiques under one […]
- [Senior COD Student develops VR Rehearsal application named V-Theatron](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=976): Communication Design department’s senior Student Ali Leylekoğlu has developed an interesting VR application working long hours in the OZU VR Lab. The project was a graduation project led by Advisor Assoc. Prof. Simge E. Orhun. The application named V-Theatron was specifically built for actors who have difficulty with their rehearsal plays during the Covid Pandemic. V-Theatron is meant to help actors improve their acting skills by giving them feedback on their gestures and expressions. The training tool assists the users whilst performing on a Virtual Stage which can be personalized according to their likes. A demonstration can be found on the […]
- [Sezer presented about Immersive Museum experiences at the AACCP 2021 conference](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=988): Bora Sezer took part in the AACCP 2021 (Architecture, Archaeology and Contemporary City Planning) conference on the subject of Cultural Heritage and Immersive Museum Experiences, presenting two projects that show how the process took place. AACCP (Architecture, Archaeology and Contemporary City Planning) is a multidisciplinary and progressive network, which has gathered together researchers, experts and practitioners from various fields to discuss topics related to urban development and city planning since 2014. One of the main aims of the network is to promote collaboration between different actors and increase understanding of the profitable co-existence of the past, present, and future in urban […]
- [Laser Scanning and Virtual Reality study for the Panaghia Paramithia Church](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=935): Last week, with the permission of the Orthodox Patriachcy, Lidar specialist Bora Yavuz (http://www.litech.com.tr) and Bora Sezer did a 3D Scanning survey for the Panaghia Paramithia Church in Fener, Balat. In the last decade, the importance of Photogrammetry and Laser scanning for cultural heritage has dramatically grown, allowing a fast and very accurate 3D survey and reconstruction of architectural heritage. Moreover, the resulting 3D model also enables the exploration of the structure in Virtual Reality which can be used as a powerful tool for cultural education and entertainment. Important Links https://labs.ozyegin.edu.tr/drum/panaghia-paramythia https://www.indyturk.com/node/312456/haber/bir-%C3%A7ocuk-bir-a%C5%9Fk-bir-kilise-vlahsaray-restorasyon-i%C3%A7in-yard%C4%B1m-bekliyor https://www.trthaber.com/haber/kultur-sanat/istanbuldaki-vlahsaray-kilisesinin-temel-kalintilari-bulundu-544317.html
- [Founding Euromersive Turkey and our first Zoom Event:  On the state of the XR industry in 2020](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=917): In September we founded the Euromersive Turkey organization as the Turkish branch of Euromersive, our mission is to promote regional awareness of the talent and XR production in Turkey and to support Turkish XR professionals and academics to reach collaborative opportunities with peers in Europe. Our organization is led by a group of XR experts coming from both academic and enterprise backgrounds with expertise ranging from software to hardware, and entrepreneurship. On October 27th we organized a public Zoom discussion on the state of the XR industry in 2020. The XR industry has changed a lot in the past few years, […]
- [We have successfully moved to our space in the new Architecture and Design Faculty building](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=911): From now on the OzU VR Lab will continue to operate in the 4th Academic building in room B316. The moving and installation procedure took about 3 weeks and the lab is again fully functioning. This semester, the VR Lab will host a 20 student VR Design course along with various research facilities.
- [Robert College consulted OzU VR Lab about how to expand](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=904): Today, I visited Robert College and met its educational technology coordinator, Pınar Kadıoğlu. Robert College wants to open a VR Lab regarding Scientific Lab projects and use the benefits of VR for student education. The College is also interested in forming Immersive Museum experiences. After a long conversation about how Robert College’s students can utilize VR Projects, the team took me to their VR Lab in progress and explained how they plan to do the rest of their installations. In return I invited the team to OzU VR Lab, looking forward to that.
- [“Teaching Virtual Reality and Immersive Design" has been published in the journal of Design Studio and is now accessible online.](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=888): The paper mainly focuses on the interdisciplinary aspects of creating virtual worlds and defines teaching methods, course content and course goals along with assigning individual tasks to different students with various interdisciplinary backgrounds as team members. Overall this paper examines the following questions; – How immersive virtual environments are designed? – How should Immersive Design be taught? Keywords: Education, Virtual Reality, Immersive Design, Interdisciplinary, Game Engines Journal link: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/journalofdesignstudio/issue/51053/659436Direct link to the article: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/914376
- [Using Leapmotion with VR in a self-made piano room setting](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=957): In this project, we created a Virtual Piano playing experience with the help of Leap motion. We used a Leap Motion hand gesture recognition sensor for accurately tracking the fingers and appropriate hand gestures. We were able to successfully implement finger tracking to press the keys of the piano. The demo currently works better as a prop as opposed to a real piano, though future improvements could lead to a more authentic playing experience. For other experiences we have created with Leap Motion and VR you can check the following youtube videos Leap Motion and VR – Piano playing experimenthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKz8lQZ2pJE&feature=youtu.beLeap […]
- [Both The Architecture and Design Faculty being built and the Dorms currently under construction were demonstrated in VR within the Promotion days](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=396): Within the promotion days of the University, our rector Prof. Esra Gencturk kindly requested if we could create a Virtual Tour of the New Architecture and Design faculty currently being built. Later on, she also asked for the Dorms to be presented in VR since they were under maintenance and could not be visited. In This light, the lab worked for two weeks to create VR experiences for both buildings. The Final Results were demonstrated to student candidates through the promotion days at both the promotion center and the Dorms desk. For this we installed VR Headsets in the necessary […]
- [OZU VR lab organized a Virtual Reality Workshop within the scope of the Summer Internship Program for High School Students](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=431): OZU VR lab organized a Virtual Reality Workshop between 17-21 June 2019 within the scope of Ozyegin University Summer Internship Program for High School Students. The workshop was carried out by Instructor C. Bora Sezer within the participation of 11 high school students all around Turkey. Research Assistant Yasemin Yıldırım also supported the workshop as a guest lecturer and workshop facilitator. In this 5-day intensive workshop, high school students obtained theoretical and practical trainings about VR discipline, softwares and hardwares, fundamentals of interactions and interfaces in virtual reality, navigation, object manipulation, and design of a 3D virtual reality environment. In […]
- [High School Students Digital Photography Contest results exhibited in Virtual Gallery](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=409): The OZU VR Lab helped exhibiting the winning photographs of the High School Students Digital Photography Contest. The fifth annual Photography Contest -Catch the Interaction- took place in the University Campus. After the award ceremony and a series of photography workshops participating students were invited to the OZU VR Lab for experiencing their exhibition in Virtual Reality. All participants had the opportunity to see their own photographs in a Virtual Gallery together with other competing students work. The contest and exhibition took place within the OzU Communication Design Department.
- [Testing the Myo Armband for VR applications](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=947): Recent studies demonstrate that game-based therapy approaches are gaining interest in the Healthcare Industry. Research shows attempts are being made by applying gaming principles to various therapies for the prospect of improving patient conditions. These also include game-based upper limb prosthesis training. We created this myo-game for VR to test how EMG signals from muscles can be transferred to VR environments. Below you can see how the participant grabs a virtual ball from the ground and leaves it in a basket. Credits: Bora Sezer, Prof. Erhan Öztop, Berke Bakkaloğlu
- [3D Scanning the Byzantine Church of Chora via photogrammetry for VR applications](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=924): The Chora VR Experience Currently, we are working on scanning the Byzantine Church of Chora in Istanbul via photogrammetry with my colleague Elias Sarantopoulos who is an award-winning author for his interactive book labeled Istanbul’s Byzantine Marvel Church of Chora. Our final intention is to archive and exhibit the monument in Virtual Reality and use gamification methods to present its history dating back to the early period of Christianity. The project is partly studied during the elective Virtual Reality and Immersive Design Course. The research is mainly focused on the interdisciplinary aspects of creating virtual worlds asking the question of […]
- [Bora Sezer collaborated as a mentor within Educathon -Turkey’s first XR hackathon dedicated to education](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=412): I had the chance to meet many experienced mentors and assistants on site during the Educathon. With many guests and thought leaders on subjects ranging from pedagogy, entrepreneurship, gamification, and immersive technologies, the Educathon fostered a true interdisciplinary environment and took place from April 5 to 7 at the Bahcesehir University. The hackathon brought together teachers, software developers, and interdisciplinary designers to explore and prototype immersive tools and applications that will improve education today. The inaugural Educathon focused on Augmented Reality, with mixed teams of educators and creatives conceiving, designing, and executing their educational AR prototypes over the course of […]
- [Photogrammetry artist Kaptan from Oddviz visited us for a seminar - how photogrammetry can contribute to the field of Virtual Reality](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=416): Today we hosted Serkan Kaptan from the Oddviz Collective for a seminar about photogrammetry. The Students and staff enjoyed Kaptan’s outstanding presentation. It was especially interesting to discuss how photogrammetry can contribute to the field of Virtual Reality. We thank Serkan for his efforts regarding the presentation. The collective takes multiple aerial and ground level photographs to measure exact spatial position of surface points, merged together, the surface points form state-of-the-art 3D representations. Oddviz attaches importance to photogrammetry in digitally preserving bodies, artifacts, facades, exhibitions or landscapes. Oddviz also focuses on manipulation and animation techniques of 3D models. Our practice […]
- [OzU VR Lab contributes to the International Urban Design Workshop Istanbul 2019](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=370): We have just completed the “International Urban Design Workshop 2019, Urban Façade: Istanbul Waterfront organization”. I ( Bora Sezer) was a member of the organizing committee and contributed to the design charrettes related to digital survey technologies including photogrammetry and laser scan procedures. As the OzU VR Lab we put effort to scan the Heritage conservations. Other Universities in the organization involved University of Parma (with the support of DIDALABS system) and University of Florence. Thanks to Prof. Alex Camiz and Prof. Giorgio Verdiani (University of Florence) we learned a lot about how VR can be a part of Collaborative […]
- [The Virtual Reality and Immersive Design Course (COD 325), is now offered by the Communication Design department ](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=362): Ozyegin University’s Communication Design Department is now offering a new elective course called Virtual Reality and Immersive Design (COD 325). The Educational objective of the course is introducing students to theoretical and practical skills regarding Design in Virtual Reality. The program is offered to Communication Design, Architecture, Industrial Design and Computer Science Students. The course will enable its participants to change society and teach the skills needed to be successful in creating Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality content for industry and education. It will also enable students to work in architecture and product visualization, game creation, multimedia design, and broadcast […]
- [The Development of our first Virtual Environment using a photogrammetric model and Parés’ definition of  basic interactions](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=379)
- [We scanned a historic Ottoman building and our University’s Innovation center with a Matterport Camera](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=392): We Spent a week scanning both a historic ottoman building and our University’s Innovation center with a Matterport Camera with splendid results. Thanks to Ass. Prof. Simge E. Orhun’s introduction, Professor Mischa Shcaub from the University of Basel, Switzerland was our guest and we collaborated on a project involving the Matterport camera which helps with scanning 3D walkthroughs that can be transferred in to virtual reality. The Matterport brought from Basel by Prof. Shcaub is a three-dimensional camera system you can use to create realistic, fully immersive experiences. The Camera assists to capture imagery, collect measurements and process data to create […]
- [VR Smart Magazine - Discover what's new about Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality Techs Today](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=345): I would like to introduce you to the Virtual Reality Today Flipboard magazine I have established in mid 2016. The VR Today Magazine aggregates cutting-edge news from all sorts of media focused on Extended Reality (VR, AR, MR) and immersive technologies. The Magazine covers stimulating material about the developments and applications ranging from Research to Education in the emerging field. These topics include, haptics, user interfaces, virtual avatars, training simulators, healthcare, and entertainment computing. With over five hundred followers and 5 voluntary editors taking part through the years, we welcome you to subscribe to our magazine for all the latest […]
- [Today, the Architecture and Design Faculty has officially launched the OzU VR Lab](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=374): The Architecture and Design Faculty has officially launched the OzU VR Lab. Respected associates of our Faculty including our Dean Prof. Orhan Hacıhasanoglu and Dept. Chair Ass. Prof. Simge E. Orhun honored the event. The Opening started with a presentation and Followed with demonstrations about Virtual Reality. Extended Reality tech has an impact on many different industries such as education, architecture, sports, medicine and entertainment. The OzU VR Lab will seek to provide resources to entrepreneurs to help prosper new innovations. The Lab will be an experimental space where faculty, students, and staff from all disciplines collaborate with industry and community. Its […]
- [VR Consulting for the Industry 4.0 Competence Center Conference in collaboration with BEYSAD and TÜSIAD](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=867): With the reference of Dr. Simge Orhun, I was invited by the Engineering Department’s Robotics lab to attend the Industry 4.0 Competence Center Conference which was developed in collaboration with the Turkish White Goods Suppliers Association (BEYSAD) and the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD). I was asked if I would join the team as a VR specialist. I took the honor and joined the Conference. The conference was primarily focused on creating a collaboration between the university and the white goods industry. BEYSAD and TUSIAD wanted to grasp the Industry 4.0 revolution which dealt with principles such as interoperability, […]
- [The Faculty floor partially recreated as a VR environment for a demonstration of the Unreal Engine](https://vr.ozyegin.edu.tr/?p=871): Using its floor plans a 3D Model of the Faculty of Architecture and Design is recreated to demonstrate how VR can be beneficial for presenting architectural spaces. This way the users are able to explore interior spaces and have an understanding of the look and feel of the location better. April 2017. Video can be found below.

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